Prospects for Europe – How to enhance European Democracy

On 11 April 2018, some 170 guests from politics, business and civil society attended the 9th Brussels Wednesday Social, hosted by METRO AG in cooperation with European Movement International (EMI) and EuroCommerce.

Jo Leinen – MEP and EP rapporteur for the EU Electoral Reform – discussed with the guests how to improve the current electoral system in the EU to create a real “European” democracy through more transparent and visible elections supported by bottom-up citizen engagement.

Jo Leinen emphasised the fundamental need to reconnect with European citizens and the urgency to defend, nurture and strengthen democratic and liberal values. The current political landscape is confusing and democracy is under pressure within the EU, but also from elsewhere.

Against this background, we should not miss any opportunity to communicate the value of the European Union in the 21st century and to engage with citizens, instead of imposing top-down solutions.